Abarth 500e vs Honda Civic

The Abarth 500e starts from $60,500 before on-road costs, while the Honda Civic opens at $35,900. That makes the Honda Civic the more affordable entry point by $24,600.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $66,550 and $39,490 respectively.

The Abarth 500e qualifies for FBT exemption as an electric vehicle, which can dramatically reduce the effective cost for novated lease buyers. The Honda Civic, as a petrol model, does not qualify.

The Honda Civic holds a 5-star ANCAP rating vs 4 stars for the Abarth 500e.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The Honda Civic packs more ADAS features with 7 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 4 in the Abarth 500e.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 6 in the Abarth 500e and 6 in the Honda Civic.

The Abarth 500e features a 10.3-inch touchscreen paired with a 7-inch digital dash, while the Honda Civic gets a 9-inch display and 10.2-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Abarth 500e stands out with JBL audio that you will not find on the Honda Civic. The Honda Civic counters with Bose audio and ambient lighting. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the Abarth 500e gets synthetic leather upholstery while the Honda Civic offers leather. Climate control is 1-zone in the Abarth 500e and 2-zone in the Honda Civic.

The Abarth 500e uses a Electric producing 113kW and 235Nm of torque, sent through a single-speed automatic to a FWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 7 seconds.

The Honda Civic responds with a Petrol making 131kW and 240Nm, paired to a cvt driving the front wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 8.5 seconds.

The Honda Civic has the clear power advantage at 131kW vs 113kW. In the real-world sprint, the Abarth 500e is 1.5s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Abarth 500e measures 3,673mm long on a 2,322mm wheelbase, 876mm shorter than the Honda Civic at 4,549mm (2,735mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Honda Civic generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 185L in the Abarth 500e and 333L in the Honda Civic, giving the Honda Civic a 148L advantage. The Honda Civic seats 5 vs 4.

Running cost data is not yet available for both models. We will update when figures are confirmed.

Warranty: 3 years / 150,000km (Abarth 500e) vs 5 years / 999,999km (Honda Civic). The Honda Civic has longer coverage. Capped-price servicing: —5yr (Honda Civic).